Motherwell v Saintees, Sat 9 November

[Gekko]

1 hour ago, Cagey said:

I am sure Simo said he didn't expect Uche to play before January.

That's right. I forgot about that. He said he'd be like a new January signing.

We're all putting a lot of faith in the January window to sort things out.

[RandomGuy]

Can't see i agree that all the defenders look fine individually. Sanders wins headers when he goes for them, but half the time he's not able to go for ones that matter because he's a yard out of position.

Cameron is far too soft to be a CB no matter the team around him. 1v1 he's getting beaten 9/10 and any high ball he just panics, let's it bounce, then hopes he can get a free kick.

Neilson isn't a CB either. Doesn't have the heart for it and again gets caught out of position a lot.

They're probably passable in a strong team but they'd also be the clear weak link in these teams too.

[templeofsaints]

1 hour ago, Gekko said:

We're all putting a lot of faith in the January window to sort things out.

That is the St Johnstone way these days 

[sane_tee]

4 hours ago, R.B.B:- Adz said:

Neilson’s ball carrying into midfield and beyond is the only player have who can do that, when he steps out and plays a couple of one twos he can definitely play football. In a back 3 or back 2 partnership he just looks lost.

I say take a punt on him in central midfield

[Linky]

I do think Neilson is fine as a midfield back up for Holt. Prefer him to MacPherson or Max

[Cagey]

16 minutes ago, Linky said:

I do think Neilson is fine as a midfield back up for Holt. Prefer him to MacPherson or Max

Forgot about McPherson. Manager never mentioned him when asked about injuries, not that I heard.

[Saintdunc]

As a unit, our defence, at the moment, would probably be ok in the Championship.....................maybe!

Feel sorry for Adam and Simo, as the problems that were created in the last 3 seasons, on and off the pitch, are proving hard to reverse. 

 

[Cagey]

Just checked the fixtures up til 2nd January. Can't see us getting many points there.

[johndb]

Just getting to the end of Manifest Destiny that has been a total blast especially my era based around Ormond and Henry Hall, John Connolly Fred Aitken, Kenny Aird , Jimmy Donaldson etc. But I have learned so much about the blank years I wasn't paying attention to. Brian and Alistair have produced some fantastic books on the Saints. Pity they just emphasize that the same mistakes keep getting made.  Selling players for too little , letting vital players go etc. 

Maybe Zander would come back now? Hearts not doing great and Craig Gordon fit again.. Spoony too,  Can Valakiri be it?

[blueheaven]

I do wonder if we've slightly put the cart before the horse in changing the playing style so dramatically but not doing more to sort out the defence. But perhaps that's being harsh and there's just no quick fix for this defence, at least not without more new signings.

I think our players are doing well at keeping possession and knocking the ball around but we lack one or two better players with the ability to pick out the pass that would turn those moves into attacks. I think that's the difficult part and this squad isn't really there. Perhaps it gets there with more work. But it's frustrating to see how much of the ball we have and yet how few openings we create, and how little we're playing low through balls to open up our opponents with Benji/Adama's pace. And dropping Benji really doesn't help.

I know making drastic changes to a defence can be risky but personally I'd drop three of Saturday's back four and go with Keltjens - Sanders - Mikulic - Raymond. I think Keltjens' positioning makes him better suited to right-back than Wright and his comfort on the ball makes him better suited to this system. He's long overdue a recall. Mikulic also looked very comfortable on the ball in what very little we've now seen of him. And Raymond is miles ahead of Douglas at this stage.

And I'd restore the rest of the line-up to the team that won against Ross County and Dundee, so:

_______________ Rae

Keltjens Sanders Mikulic Raymond

____________ Sprangler

_____ Smith ___________ Holt

______________ Clark

_______ Sidibeh  ___ Kimpioka

Perhaps a bit harsh on Carey but I feel he's a lot more effective being used as an impact sub along with Kirk. I'd also use Wright as an attacking option from the bench at the moment. 

[Cagey]

2 hours ago, blueheaven said:

I do wonder if we've slightly put the cart before the horse in changing the playing style so dramatically but not doing more to sort out the defence. But perhaps that's being harsh and there's just no quick fix for this defence, at least not without more new signings.

I think our players are doing well at keeping possession and knocking the ball around but we lack one or two better players with the ability to pick out the pass that would turn those moves into attacks. I think that's the difficult part and this squad isn't really there. Perhaps it gets there with more work. But it's frustrating to see how much of the ball we have and yet how few openings we create, and how little we're playing low through balls to open up our opponents with Benji/Adama's pace. And dropping Benji really doesn't help.

I know making drastic changes to a defence can be risky but personally I'd drop three of Saturday's back four and go with Keltjens - Sanders - Mikulic - Raymond. I think Keltjens' positioning makes him better suited to right-back than Wright and his comfort on the ball makes him better suited to this system. He's long overdue a recall. Mikulic also looked very comfortable on the ball in what very little we've now seen of him. And Raymond is miles ahead of Douglas at this stage.

And I'd restore the rest of the line-up to the team that won against Ross County and Dundee, so:

_______________ Rae

Keltjens Sanders Mikulic Raymond

____________ Sprangler

_____ Smith ___________ Holt

______________ Clark

_______ Sidibeh  ___ Kimpioka

Perhaps a bit harsh on Carey but I feel he's a lot more effective being used as an impact sub along with Kirk. I'd also use Wright as an attacking option from the bench at the moment. 

Agree with most of that..

Thought we were the bees knees after County and Dundee and then he changed things. I see what he sees in Carey but bringing him in to the starting 11 just disrupted things.

 Carey better as an impact sub and would hope that he wouldn't have played Douglas yet if Raymond was fit.

[dave mc]

3 hours ago, blueheaven said:

I do wonder if we've slightly put the cart before the horse in changing the playing style so dramatically but not doing more to sort out the defence. But perhaps that's being harsh and there's just no quick fix for this defence, at least not without more new signings.

I think our players are doing well at keeping possession and knocking the ball around but we lack one or two better players with the ability to pick out the pass that would turn those moves into attacks. I think that's the difficult part and this squad isn't really there. Perhaps it gets there with more work. But it's frustrating to see how much of the ball we have and yet how few openings we create, and how little we're playing low through balls to open up our opponents with Benji/Adama's pace. And dropping Benji really doesn't help.

I know making drastic changes to a defence can be risky but personally I'd drop three of Saturday's back four and go with Keltjens - Sanders - Mikulic - Raymond. I think Keltjens' positioning makes him better suited to right-back than Wright and his comfort on the ball makes him better suited to this system. He's long overdue a recall. Mikulic also looked very comfortable on the ball in what very little we've now seen of him. And Raymond is miles ahead of Douglas at this stage.

And I'd restore the rest of the line-up to the team that won against Ross County and Dundee, so:

_______________ Rae

Keltjens Sanders Mikulic Raymond

____________ Sprangler

_____ Smith ___________ Holt

______________ Clark

_______ Sidibeh  ___ Kimpioka

Perhaps a bit harsh on Carey but I feel he's a lot more effective being used as an impact sub along with Kirk. I'd also use Wright as an attacking option from the bench at the moment. 

I don’t recall Carey playing one forward pass on Saturday,everything went back or sideways,which is needed to retain possession,but we also need the correct passes into our forwards to utilise their pace 

[Stumpy1949]

I hope that Simo realises now like most of the supporters that Matt Smith has to be played centrally or not at all. A lot of people were having a go at Douglas for the space they were getting down our left but the extra man there was their RWB as Matt was putting no pressure on him either attacking or defending. You noticed the difference when he brought on Andre in the second half. We all talk about our pace upfront but at times they don’t make intelligent runs to open up space either for themselves or other people. 

[R.B.B:- Adz]

5 hours ago, Cagey said:

Agree with most of that..

Thought we were the bees knees after County and Dundee and then he changed things. I see what he sees in Carey but bringing him in to the starting 11 just disrupted things.

 Carey better as an impact sub and would hope that he wouldn't have played Douglas yet if Raymond was fit.

Totally agree regarding Carey and Douglas

[Cleveland-Saint]

Adama and Benji I think have the makings of a great partnership once they get the balance right of glory vs teamwork. 

[Linky]

I think that's the problem with Carey, he's really good at coming on and stretching the game when the other team are tired. In fact, so good that any manager would think he should start the next match, and then when he does he's not as effective.

I agree that the defence needs to be worked on, but we also need to get to a point where our strikers are actually working together. I do think Ikpeazu could have a role in this, bringing in others.

[Cagey]

34 minutes ago, Cleveland-Saint said:

Adama and Benji I think have the makings of a great partnership once they get the balance right of glory vs teamwork. 

All the best strikers are greedy.

Hopefully Simo is arranging a couple of bounce games in the next two weeks. Problem is the lowere leagues are still live and it would be counter productive playing other premiership teams as it would just give an invite into our problems.

Probably better with 2 or 3 full games"not kickabouts" with the full squad. I am sure we could scrape together 2 teams especially if the under 21s are included

We have to learn how to defend corners , free kicks and crosses.

[Willie Peat]

4 minutes ago, Cagey said:

Hopefully Simo is arranging a couple of bounce games in the next two weeks. Problem is the lowere leagues are still live and it would be counter productive playing other premiership teams as it would just give an invite into our problems.

 

An English championship side maybe? They are on international break also.

[RandomGuy]

Almost certain he said there was a game with Hibs lined up over the break.

Edited November 11 by RandomGuy

[Saints17]

11 hours ago, blueheaven said:

I do wonder if we've slightly put the cart before the horse in changing the playing style so dramatically but not doing more to sort out the defence. But perhaps that's being harsh and there's just no quick fix for this defence, at least not without more new signings.

I think our players are doing well at keeping possession and knocking the ball around but we lack one or two better players with the ability to pick out the pass that would turn those moves into attacks. I think that's the difficult part and this squad isn't really there. Perhaps it gets there with more work. But it's frustrating to see how much of the ball we have and yet how few openings we create, and how little we're playing low through balls to open up our opponents with Benji/Adama's pace. And dropping Benji really doesn't help.

I know making drastic changes to a defence can be risky but personally I'd drop three of Saturday's back four and go with Keltjens - Sanders - Mikulic - Raymond. I think Keltjens' positioning makes him better suited to right-back than Wright and his comfort on the ball makes him better suited to this system. He's long overdue a recall. Mikulic also looked very comfortable on the ball in what very little we've now seen of him. And Raymond is miles ahead of Douglas at this stage.

And I'd restore the rest of the line-up to the team that won against Ross County and Dundee, so:

_______________ Rae

Keltjens Sanders Mikulic Raymond

____________ Sprangler

_____ Smith ___________ Holt

______________ Clark

_______ Sidibeh  ___ Kimpioka

Perhaps a bit harsh on Carey but I feel he's a lot more effective being used as an impact sub along with Kirk. I'd also use Wright as an attacking option from the bench at the moment. 

I think for Killie I would go with a straight 4-4-2 with Wright and Carey on the wings and Clark and Kimpioka up front. So Sidibeh and Smith coming out of that line up for Carey and Wright. Killie have Kennedy and Armstrong out wide so worry that more narrow midfield set up would leave our full backs a bit exposed. 

[Cagey]

2 hours ago, RandomGuy said:

Almost certain he said there was a game with Hibs lined up over the break.

I am sure they had a bounce game with Hibs during the last break but don't know the outcome. It may be I got mixed up and it was this break though.

[sane_tee]

42 minutes ago, Cagey said:

I am sure they had a bounce game with Hibs during the last break but don't know the outcome. It may be I got mixed up and it was this break though.

I think you're right, and we got beat

[double deluxe]

22 hours ago, RandomGuy said:

Almost certain he said there was a game with Hibs lined up over the break.

Bounce game against Queens Park this week 

[crieffsaintandy]

13 minutes ago, double deluxe said:

Bounce game against Queens Park this week 

Be okay on that one, Davidson will set up for a draw or a one nil defeat to keep the goal difference down, as a club like QP knows its place in Scottish football! 

[garydavidson]

St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari has challenged the Perth club’s fringe players to stake their claim for Premiership game-time, as he explained the absence of David Keltjens in recent weeks.

Valakari relied upon a core group for his five matches in charge so far.

Keltjens has arguably been the most notable absentee given the Finn has opted for a back four and the 29-year-old old is the only out-and-out right-back at the club.

He will feature in a closed-doors game against Queen’s Park on Wednesday, as will several others seeking to catch the new head coach’s eye during the international break.

“David has been fit for a while now but he has been going through some off-field things,” Valakari explained.

“He is getting closer now.

“I have had many meetings with him and we are both agreed that I haven’t seen the best of David yet.

“Hopefully, he can show us that this week and can start pushing for that position.

“It would be good because we don’t have much cover at right-back. Drey (Wright) is a winger and has been playing there.

“So I hope David can really push now.

“Aaron Essel played there in the Rangers match and then played there again in the bounce game we had during the last break.

“But I see him as a midfielder, not a right-back.”

“Hopefully, he can show us that this week and can start pushing for that position.

“It would be good because we don’t have much cover at right-back. Drey (Wright) is a winger and has been playing there.

“So I hope David can really push now.

“Aaron Essel played there in the Rangers match and then played there again in the bounce game we had during the last break.

“But I see him as a midfielder, not a right-back.”